Poll

When do you wear club colours?

Only for road racing and time trials
1 (1.4%)
For all types of racing including cyclocross etc.
3 (4.3%)
For all racing and non-competitive events, eg sportives, audax
7 (10.1%)
For all types of riding - social/training/sportive/audax/racing etc.
21 (30.4%)
Never
7 (10.1%)
 I'm not in a club
30 (43.5%)

Total Members Voted: 68

Author Topic: Wearing club colours  (Read 7374 times)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Wearing club colours
« on: 24 November, 2016, 06:42:05 pm »
I've entered a cyclocross race this weekend - the first competitive event I've entered since joining the club (last time I did a cyclocross race, I entered as an unaffiliated individual), so I had to check up on the rules regarding wearing club colours. As far as I can tell, it is expected by both the club and British Cycling that you wear official team kit - the BC wording is slightly ambiguous but implies it is obligatory (though in practice I doubt they would enforce the regulations too strictly for a local CX league event).

Not that I have anything against wearing club kit - I was checking more to see if I was allowed to wear it, since it's an open event and I've not actually been 'selected' to represent the club.

Anyway, it got me thinking, because I've only ever worn club kit on club rides - never worn it on an audax or sportive. Maybe I should start doing so.

I know some club members who never wear club kit - mainly because they don't like it. Shame, especially as one of those people is the club chairman. I don't think he races though, so maybe it's not an issue for him.

(For the purposes of the poll, you are allowed to consider yacf jerseys as club kit if you wish.)

ETA: I've tweaked the poll to make 'Never' and 'I'm not in a club' two separate options.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #1 on: 24 November, 2016, 07:34:31 pm »
I wear club colours when taking part in any cycling that is related, even remotely, to my club. I don't know which option to select!

Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #2 on: 24 November, 2016, 07:36:03 pm »
Not sure about cross, but BC rules are that 4th cats can ride in what they want, within limits, 3rds and above must ride in currently registered team/club clothing.

If you entered without a licence ( I.e. Day licence) then ride in what you like as long as you aren't 3rd or above. If you were 3rd or above it would be plain kit as you aren't a registered member of any club.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #3 on: 24 November, 2016, 07:43:33 pm »
I usually wear one for an event and on club runs. Sometimes on club training rides etc.but only occasionally when I head out on my own for a bike ride.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #4 on: 24 November, 2016, 07:46:36 pm »
I wear club colours when taking part in any cycling that is related, even remotely, to my club. I don't know which option to select!
I'd say "All types of riding" is a pretty good fit.  :thumbsup:

(Why are people so bloody picky about polls?!? It's usually pretty obvious what the pollster is getting at!  :P )
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #5 on: 24 November, 2016, 07:55:06 pm »
There are no right or wrong answers - it's just for interest, not a test, so go for whichever option you think suits best.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #6 on: 24 November, 2016, 08:02:12 pm »
Not sure about cross, but BC rules are that 4th cats can ride in what they want, within limits, 3rds and above must ride in currently registered team/club clothing.

If you entered without a licence ( I.e. Day licence) then ride in what you like as long as you aren't 3rd or above. If you were 3rd or above it would be plain kit as you aren't a registered member of any club.

This is what it says in the cyclocross regulations:

Quote
5.6 All members shall compete in the name of their first name club, racing team or trade team or as individual members except for Area and National Team representation...
5.7 All competitors excepting those under 16 years of age shall wear their club, racing team or trade team colours unless required to wear the national or area colours, National Championship jersey, or, in National Trophy events, the series leader’s jersey.

I am a BC member but I don't have a racing licence, so I'm not entirely sure how the rules apply to me. The wording of the above seems to imply that I'm expected to race under my club name, and to wear club colours. I don't think it's a particularly big deal though. I won't be troubling the podium anyway!
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #7 on: 24 November, 2016, 08:31:57 pm »
Not sure about cross, but BC rules are that 4th cats can ride in what they want, within limits, 3rds and above must ride in currently registered team/club clothing.

If you entered without a licence ( I.e. Day licence) then ride in what you like as long as you aren't 3rd or above. If you were 3rd or above it would be plain kit as you aren't a registered member of any club.

This is what it says in the cyclocross regulations:

Quote
5.6 All members shall compete in the name of their first name club, racing team or trade team or as individual members except for Area and National Team representation...
5.7 All competitors excepting those under 16 years of age shall wear their club, racing team or trade team colours unless required to wear the national or area colours, National Championship jersey, or, in National Trophy events, the series leader’s jersey.

I am a BC member but I don't have a racing licence, so I'm not entirely sure how the rules apply to me. The wording of the above seems to imply that I'm expected to race under my club name, and to wear club colours. I don't think it's a particularly big deal though. I won't be troubling the podium anyway!

If you don't have a licence then you don't have a first name club, i.e. you are an individual member and can wear plain kit. You will need a day licence, which doesn't attach to a club.

Pedal Castro

  • so talented I can run with scissors - ouch!
    • Two beers or not two beers...
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #8 on: 24 November, 2016, 08:58:12 pm »
None of the above.

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #9 on: 24 November, 2016, 09:05:07 pm »
Road racing and CX when I do them (i.e. rarely) but not TTs, as for those I use a plain skinsuit which is meant to be faster than the ones the club has to offer.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Wearing club colours
« Reply #10 on: 24 November, 2016, 09:07:24 pm »
If you don't have a licence then you don't have a first name club, i.e. you are an individual member

Oh, OK! That makes sense and clears up my confusion, thanks.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #11 on: 24 November, 2016, 11:05:01 pm »
Do you mean first-claim? My first-claim membership has always been independent of any racing, even though in practice that's the main time you'd cite it. While a member of three clubs, I clearly understood that I could only be first-claim at one of them, even if I never raced.

I'd expect to enter any event in the name of my first-claim club, and to wear its colours. I often wear them even for Audax, just out of loyalty. However, it's more that than rules. I don't think that time trialling has ever insisted on club colours. With British Cycling races, including CX, I'd have expected to enter in the name of my club and wear club colours.

Of course, it's possible now to be a member of a club that's not registered with BC. That was rare, years ago, because clubs always registered with the controlling bodies if those clubs had racing members.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #12 on: 24 November, 2016, 11:21:06 pm »
Do you mean first-claim?

'First name' is the wording they use in the BC CX regulations quoted above but I expect it amounts to the same thing.

Quote
I'd expect to enter any event in the name of my first-claim club, and to wear its colours. I often wear them even for Audax, just out of loyalty. However, it's more that than rules. I don't think that time trialling has ever insisted on club colours.

Club jerseys have always seemed to be a very small minority on audaxes in my experience. I don't know if that's because most audaxers aren't members of clubs or what. Obviously there are a few exceptions - always see a few Willesden jerseys on pretty much any ride in the southeast, and usually one or two San Fairy Anns and West Kent CTC jerseys. And I know there are other clubs who are well represented in other parts of the country. SWRC sometimes have a decent turnout, and I've even seen the occasional Dulwich Paragon, but can't think of many other clubs I see represented regularly.

Don't think I've ever seen my own club's jersey (Thanet RC) on an audax - I probably ought to do something about that myself. As you say, it's more about loyalty (and promotion) than whether it's required by the rules. We don't really have much of an audaxing contingent but a few members have expressed an interest and we might get a few along to events in 2017. A couple have even expressed an interest in doing LEL.

I've recently put in my order for the limited edition jersey to commemorate the club's 70th anniversary. It states very clearly on the order form that it isn't allowed to be worn in competition - presumably that applies even if I'm entering a CX race as an individual, though there's no reason why I couldn't wear it on an audax or sportive.

You get quite a few club jerseys on sportives, even though there is no requirement in the rules, as well as a lot more 'novelty' jerseys - Mr Grumpy seems to be a popular one currently. And replica pro team kit, of course - presumably replica kit is banned in BC races even at local league level (unless you are actually Wiggo or Dowsett doing your local 10).
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #13 on: 24 November, 2016, 11:27:51 pm »

Don't think I've ever seen my own club's jersey (Thanet RC) on an audax - I probably ought to do something about that myself. As you say, it's more about loyalty and promotion than whether it's required by the rules. We don't really have much of an audaxing contingent but a few members have expressed an interest and we might get a few along to events in 2017. A couple have even expressed an interest in doing LEL.


Agree with that - locally I'm promoting the club and when I ride an event away it's a (proud) statement of where I'm from.

Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #14 on: 24 November, 2016, 11:32:35 pm »
I've recently put in my order for the limited edition jersey to commemorate the club's 70th anniversary. It states very clearly on the order form that it isn't allowed to be worn in competition - presumably that applies even if I'm entering a CX race as an individual, though there's no reason why I couldn't wear it on an audax or sportive.
When clubs register with racing authorities, they register their club colours as well. I imagine that the anniversary jersey is not in the registered colours.

If you're riding a race where club colours are not a requirement, you'd be able to wear it unless it contravened sponsorship regulations - so it's probably OK in time trials, for example, unless it has some massive corporate sponsor logo. I don't actually know much about the rules of CX but, if club colours aren't required, it would be the same. Probably the club is quite focussed on road racing (and maybe track), where the stipulation would apply.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #15 on: 24 November, 2016, 11:35:13 pm »
Agree with that - locally I'm promoting the club and when I ride an event away it's a (proud) statement of where I'm from.

 :thumbsup:
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #16 on: 24 November, 2016, 11:44:08 pm »
I imagine that the anniversary jersey is not in the registered colours.

More or less - it's the right colours, but completely wrong configuration (official jersey is mainly yellow, with red and black; anniversary jersey is mainly black, with red and yellow).
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #17 on: 24 November, 2016, 11:46:08 pm »
I never realised that wearing jerseys could be so confusing.  This is even more complicated than valve caps...

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #18 on: 24 November, 2016, 11:56:55 pm »
Do you mean first-claim?

'First name' is the wording they use in the BC CX regulations quoted above but I expect it amounts to the same thing.

Quote
I'd expect to enter any event in the name of my first-claim club, and to wear its colours. I often wear them even for Audax, just out of loyalty. However, it's more that than rules. I don't think that time trialling has ever insisted on club colours.

Club jerseys have always seemed to be a very small minority on audaxes in my experience. I don't know if that's because most audaxers aren't members of clubs or what.

If you look at the event results page on AUK, you'll be able to see who in each event was registered with a club.  Most have a club, and most are 'real' clubs, i.e. geographically-based and registered with BC/CTT/etc, rather than yacf-style amalgamations.

Pedal Castro

  • so talented I can run with scissors - ouch!
    • Two beers or not two beers...
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #19 on: 25 November, 2016, 06:46:52 am »
Do you mean first-claim? My first-claim membership has always been independent of any racing, even though in practice that's the main time you'd cite it. While a member of three clubs, I clearly understood that I could only be first-claim at one of them, even if I never raced.

Your first claim club can be different for TTs and road racing as far as the CTT and BC are concerned, and clubs themselves have different rules, some making a big deal about first/second claim but others not caring at all.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #20 on: 25 November, 2016, 09:13:36 am »
The only jerseys I have are in the colours of one association or other whose colours I'm entitled to wear.  Not that I wouldn't wear neutral kit, I just don't have any - not counting rain jackets etc.  I wouldn't mind a couple of those Primal Wear Beer Jerseys, or the one that looks like a dinner-jacket.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #21 on: 25 November, 2016, 12:44:04 pm »
Yes, its good to wear the jersey to promote the club. And to be part of a team, if there's other club members there.
But it gets a bit boring if you always wear the same thing, and its the same as everyone else. It can be fun to wear a 'novelty' jersey from time to time.
I don't do any races where 'first claim' rules actually matter.

Si

Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #22 on: 25 November, 2016, 03:39:51 pm »
Club jerseys always tend to be tightish race ware type of things so I don't bother.  I have a couple of loose T shirt type tops, made out of hi-tech materials, from my Community cycling Group which I am happy to wear as they don't emphasise the unfortunate bulges and swellings.  Why can't club kit be stuff you can go shopping in as well?

Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #23 on: 25 November, 2016, 06:33:54 pm »
I wouldn't mind {one} of those Primal Wear ... Jerseys ... that looks like a dinner-jacket.
I wore mine to the lunch that followed our club's Christmas 10. Seemed appropriate :)

I rather fancy one of these too.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Wearing club colours
« Reply #24 on: 25 November, 2016, 07:38:06 pm »
Club jerseys always tend to be tightish race ware type of things so I don't bother.  I have a couple of loose T shirt type tops, made out of hi-tech materials, from my Community cycling Group which I am happy to wear as they don't emphasise the unfortunate bulges and swellings.  Why can't club kit be stuff you can go shopping in as well?
No reason it can't be. Talk to other members (or your clothing sec, or whatever) - there are companies out there that will put your design on anything. Fleeces are popular - our lot discussed "podium jerseys"  :facepalm: :)

A one-off will be dear, but you might find that 20 other riders want to join you in a club apron, tea-towel, buff, duffel-coat, surf-shorts, thong ...

Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles